Oiling device



' Feb. 23, 1937.

R. L. HARTER Filed Dec. 19, 1934 Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNHTED STATES 'FATENT FFEQE OILING DEVICE Robert L. Harter, Hinsdale, Ill.

Application December 19, 1934, Serial No. 758,206

l8 allows air from chamber 9 to pass upwardly 4 Claims.

My invention relates to an oiling device and more particularly to a temperature responsive oiler. Y

It is a well known fact that a large percentage of the oil ordinarily applied to bearings is wasted due to the lack of regulating means for supplying oil at the time and in the quantity required.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved oiling device.

A further object is to provide an oiling device which is automatic and efiective in operation.

A still further object is to provide an oiling device which is uniformly and consistently responsive to temperature changes.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention a chamber of thermally conductive material associated with a bearing is provided with means for maintaining a constant ratio of air and oil whereby a predetermined temperature change in the bearing will produce a corresponding expansion of air in the chamber to expel a quantity of oil in accordance with the temperature change.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which the single figure is a side view partly in section of an oiling device embodying the invention.

7 Referring now more in detail to the drawing a bearing 6 which may have a suitable lining or bushing l is shown provided with a threaded aperture for receiving a threaded stem 3 of the 35 oiling device. The oiling device comprises a chamber 9 of a thermally conducting metal such as brass which is preferably integral with the stem 8. The stem is provided with a large bore l 1 connecting with the chamber through a small 4.0 aperture l2 of such a size that oil will not flow therethrough when the device is assembled except when pressure is exerted on the oil.

The upper portion of chamber 9 has a threaded opening adapted to receive a cap 13 having an ex 45 ternally threaded portion M serving as a closure for the chamber and an internally threaded portion l5 serving as a closure for an oil supply reservoir l6. Suitable washers are preferably provided on the cap to make air-tight connections 50 with the oil chamber and the reservoir.

The cap I3 is provided with two downwardly extending tubes I1 and I8, one of which extends below the normal oil level in chamber 9. The tube ll serves to allow the oil from the reservoir 55 to pass downwardly into chamber 9 and the tube into the reservoir until the level of the oil in the chamber rises to shut off the air to the end of tube l8 at which time the downward passage of oil in tube 21 bevelled is interrupted. The tube 18 is slightly at its lower end because it has been found that if the end of the tube is not bevelled the capillarity of the tube allows the oil to drop consider ably below the end of the tube before the ply of oil in the chamber to allow the air to enter the tube. A more constant level of oil is therefore maintained.

In cas air may oil flows es where a heavy oil is used a single tube travel upwardly at the same time that the downwardly.

Due to the fact that the motion of the shaft in the bear ing may cause a rarefication or comprescases interferes with the proper operation of the device, it is preferable to provide a vent In in the stem 8 to obviate the effect of this action on the operation of the oiling device.

The operation of the device is as follows.

When the shaft in the bearing begins to rotate the bearing temperature slowly rises, communicating its heat to the walls of the stem 8 and to the chamber 9. chamber to expand and exert a pressure on the This causes the air in the oil to expel oil through the small aperture l2 onto the bearing. A cooling of the bearing causes the air in the chamber to contract and draw air into the appears there is is supplied, followed the oil becomes depleted. Thus ther chamber through the aperture l2. It that during the operation of the bearing a slight drop in temperature when oil by a rise in temperature when e is provided an intermittent supply of oil as oil is needed.

The air drawn into the chamber will, of course,

be transmitted to the reservoir and thus the ratio of oil to air in the chamber will remain constant so that a given change in temperature will always result in a definite amount of oil being supplied to the bearing. The reservoir is preferably made of a relatively poor heat conducting material such as glass so that the air therein will be substantially unaffected by bearing temperatures.

In some cases Where bearings are used which require very little oil, the chamber of the oiling device may be mounted out of heat conducting relationship with the bearing and the normal variations in room temperature will sufice to expel oil the bear at sufficiently frequent intervals to keep ing lubricated. In such event the oiling 5 device may for example be connected to the bearing by means of a long tube.

It will be understood that the nature and embodiment of the invention herein described is merely illustrative and that many changes and modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is as follows:-

1. A lubricating device comprising a lubricant feeding chamber having means connected to its lower end for supplying lubricant to a member to be lubricated, said chamber being made of a heat conducting material, and means for maintaining a constant volume of air in said chamber, whereby the temperature changes of said air cause lubricant to flow from saidchamber.

2. A lubricating device comprising a lubricant 'feeding chamber having an aperture in its lower end for supplying lubricant to a member to be lubricated, means for connecting said aperture to the member to be lubricated, said means being of heat conducting material, and means for maintaining a constant volume of air over the lubricant in said chamber whereby temperature changes of said air cause lubricant to flow from said chamber.

3. A lubricating device comprising a lubricant feeding chamber having an aperture in its lower end for supplying lubricant to a member to be lubricated, a lubricant supply receptacle above said lubricant feeding chamber, and means for connecting said lubricant supply receptacle to said lubricant feeding chamber to maintain a predetermined volume of air in said lubricant feeding chamber, whereby temperature changes of said air cause lubricant to flow from said feeding chamber.

4. A lubricating device comprising a lubricant feeding chamber having an aperture in its lower end for feeding lubricant to a member to be lubricated, a lubricant supply receptacle, and a tube extending from the supply receptacle a predetermined distance into the lubricant feeding chamber to supply lubricant to the feeding chamber and maintain a fixed volume of air in the chamber whereby temperature changes of said air cause lubricant to flow from said feeding chamber.

ROBERT L. HAR'I'ER. 

